(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, facing sexual harassment accusations, is weighing a lawsuit against the news outlet that first reported the claims, a spokesman said on Friday. …

“It is being discussed,” Cain’s chief of staff Mark Block told Fox News on Friday, when asked if the campaign was considering suing Politico. “The Politico article, if it was held up to the same standards as the code of ethics of journalism, the people involved would be fired.”

(Reuters) - A woman who accused Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment Thursday offered a statement telling her side of the story, in a move that could further undermine his 2012 campaign. …

“This is absolutely fabrication, man,” Cain told conservative talk radio host Sean Hannity, adding later: “We’re not going to get distracted. As of today we’re back on message and we’re going to stay on message.”

One of the women said earlier this week that she wanted to talk publicly about accusations that Cain had sexually harassed her, but she has since changed her mind and wanted to make a written statement through her lawyer.

The woman’s lawyer, Joel Bennett, gave the statement to the restaurant group, said Sue Hensley, a spokeswoman for the restaurant association.

The trade group’s lawyers were reviewing the statement to decide whether to lift a confidentiality agreement that she signed when she left the association. It is likely to conflict with Cain’s version of events.

Ya think?

UPDATE at 11/4/11 11:05:06 am

Just announced: the woman in question is planning to hold a press conference this afternoon…